PRACTICAL HINTS 



GV 867 
.F53 
Copy 1 



ON 





— : — * — — 




BASE BALL PRACTICE. 



PRICE, 25 Cents. 



PRACTICAL HINTS 



ON 



BASE BALL PRACTICE 



BY JAY M. FISHER, 

BRADFORD, PA. 



{Copyright Pending.) 



1 90s 

THE GAZETTE PUBUSHINy CO. 
ST, MARY8, PBJSrarA. 



HH6S ffeutlw* 

sep m im 

1 &- Ata Not 
/2& 2 X o 
COPY B» 



CONTENTS 



ti 



^ 



CHAPTER I. 



PITCHING. 



Distance for throwing. 
Developing the arm. 
Accuracy in throwing. 
How to hold the ball. * 
Pitcher's swing. 

. CURVES. 
How thrown. 

KINDS. 

Straight raise. 

In shoot. 

In straight drop curve. 

Straight dsop curve. 

Straight out curve. 

Out raise curve, 

Straight raise curve. 

A new curve. 

How to use curves or brainy pitching. 

Pitchers taking rest. 

Caution against pitchers drinking while warm. 

Over confidence reverses. 

Text book as an aid. 

CHAPTER II. 

CATCHER. 

How <to' catch a ball with the glove, 

How to catch a runner by the combination play. 



LC Control Number 



(») 




tmp96 026365 



CHAPTER III. 

BATTING. 

Kind of bat. 

How to strike the ball. 

Batting to rattle the pitcher. 

Team practice. 

Benefit of good batting. 

CHAPTER IV. 

BUNTING. 

What it is. 

When to bunt during game. 

CHAPTER V. 



When to start. 
How to slide. 



BASK RUNNING. 

CHAPTER VI. 

FIELDING. 

How to catch a fly. 

Long flies. 

Backing up the infield. 

CHAPTER VII. 

TRAINING SYSTEM. 

Developing muscles. 

When and how to take a bath. 

Proper food while training. 

What to eat. 

What not to eat. 

Fast practicing. 



(3) 



INTRODUCTION, 



This is not a book of rules. It is an arrange- 
ment of the fine points of the game in what is 
believed to be a systematic and progressive order. 
Most base ball books are written on such general 
principles that no one but a professional can under- 
stand them. 

This book is written to instruct the small boys, 
as well as the amateur and professional base ball 
players. The main object is to present good, prac- 
tical points that are not found in other base ball 
books, making them so plain that a boy of ten will 
understand. This makes it so much plainer for the 
amateur or professional player to understand. 

J. M. F. 



(4) 




STRAIGHT RAISE JUMP BALL. 

Position to throw the straight raise jump 
ball with the high long arm swing. The short 
swing straight raise jump ball is thrown the 
same way, except the hand does not go as high. 
The jump ball should be thrown as near as pos- 
sible like the drop ball, the in shoot like the 
out curve and have no swing for one curve 
without having practically the same swing for 
the opposite curve. 




DROP CURVE BALL 

Position to throw the drop curve ball with 
the high long arm swing. The short arm swing 
drop ball is thrown the same way, except the 
hand does not go as high. 



CHAPTEE I. 

PITCHING. 

Pitching is difficult and hard work, but if you 
have the needful qualifications, stick to it through 
thick and thin, even though at times discouraged. 
By hard and regular training you may succeed in two 
or three years. (If you are not sure that you are 
especially qualified for it, drop it at once and play 
some other position.) It happens quite frequently 
that promising young amateur pitchers, after several 
years' work, are obliged to resign in favor of some 
young upstart, who is a better pitcher. There must 
be some reason for this. During their youth they 
throw nearly all the year around, thus keeping the 
muscles of the arm solid and in good shape to start 
pitching in the spring. The older a man gets the 
less he exercises himself. The same is true with the 
pitcher who has been through a season or two of hard 
work. As a consequence he is not in as good trim as 
the young pitcher who has a well developed arm. 
Too much practice is practically impossible in base 
ball, as in billiards, chess and other games of skill. 
Ask a successful musician how much time he devotes 
to practice ? He will tell you that for years he has 
devoted ten hours a day to it, and that he is still 
practicing much every day and expects to continue 
doing so as long as he is actively engaged in the pro- 
fession. The best base ball players would rather 
play than eat. They are gluttons for practice. The 
more practice, the more skillful the man. To keep 
the arm in condition it is necessary that it should be 
regularly exercised, even during the time that elapses 
between the seasons of actual work. During that 
time the practice need not be as often nor as rigid as 
at the beginning of the base ball season. Once out 
of practice means that the arm is out of condition 
and must have the same careful treatment that a be- 
ginner has to bestow upon his arm. To keep the arm 

(5) 



in condition, it is necessary to practice at least twice 
a week, making each period about an hour long. 
Increase the practice gradually as the season ap- 
proaches, so that the arm may become stronger and 
the control more certain. The necessity of practice is 
best shown by the saying of the venerable Mr. Glad- 
stone: "Excellence in any department of life is ob- 
tained only by patient and persistent effort." It is 
especially true of the profession of pitching. 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARM. 

The beginner should remember that the arm may 
easily be hurt or the shoulder thrown out of place 
during the first season of practice. It is necessary 
that special care should be taken in the gradual 
development of the arm. 

ACCURACY IN THROWING. 

The first principal to accomplish is accuracy. 
Accuracy first and speed next. The two combined 
mean a great stride in the right direction. In learn- 
ing to throw accurately, make this the rule: "Each 
time you throw the ball, aim at some particular ob* 
ject; 1 ' the catcher's glove, knee, elbow, or any other 
spot. Never throw carelessly. 

DISTANCE TO PRACTICE THROWING. 

When you practice pitching only a short distance, 
say forty feet for a month, then go into a regular 
game, the batter will seem far away. Your speed 
will be less and you will have poor control. Practice 
throwing five to ten feet more than pitcher's distance 
for a month, then go into a regular game. The batter 
will seem very close, your control will be excellent, 
and you will be surprised to see how much your 
speed has increased. Always practice throwing at a 
distance of five to ten feet more than pitcher's dis- 
tance. Practice regularly at this distance until you 
have enough control to throw an average of 15 out ot 

(6) 



17 over the plate; then and not until then begin the 
practice of curve pitching. 

HOW TO HOLD THE BALL. 

The first essential of all pitching lies in the true 

grasp of the hand on the ball. To throw a curve or 

a straight ball, always use the same grip. In order 

{ to get an intelligent grasp upon the ball, first notice 

; that the cover is composed of two equal parts. 

j Blacken one of these parts and naime one end "A," 

J the other "B," then the middle or narrow part "C," 

;]SText take the ball in the left haud with U A" on top, 

pB" on the bottom and "C" pointing towards you; 

then place the first two fingers of the right hand on 

"A" half an inch from the end of the blackened por- 

!tion, with the first finger on the seam to the left, and 
the second finger on the seam to the right of U A," 
still keeping them half an inch from the end of the 
blackened portion; then place the thumb and third 
finger on a B" half an inch from the other end of the 
blackened part, with the thumb on the seam to the 
left of "B," exactly under the first finger, and the 
Jhird finger on the seam to the right of "B," directly 
under the second finger, still keeping them half an 
inch from the end of the blackened part. This gives 
a firm hold. It is the most natural and reasonable 
way to hold a balL This firm hold prevents the ball 
from slipping, more than any other hold, so it is well 
to make the grip exactly as given. 

pitcher's swing. 

Always have the gloved hand on the ball between 
it and the batter, so that he cannot detect just what 
kind of a twist is to be given. As the ball is drawn 
back lift up the forward foot, which is already two 
feet ahead of the rubber, and bring it up to the other 
knee by the time the ball is even with the shoulder. 
Then take the foot that is up, together with the free 
elbow, and fling both forward, placing the foot about 

(7) 



three feet six inches ahead of the other. The free 
elbow merely raises up and forward, and as the ball 
starts ahead, fling the free elbow down. As the ball 
starts forward, spring towards the batter, and just 
before releasing the ball, throw the right leg forward 
as quick and as far as possible, not less than four 
feet. At the same time throw the right shoulder 
ahead rapidly. In fact, the whole object is to throw 
the right shoulder ahead with a terrific movement, 
even if you wish to throw a slow ball. Exertion is 
apparent, but it is necessary in this case. This is a 
natural scientific swing; natural because it is easy, 
scientific because the movement not only hides the 
intended curve, but it also gives better speed than 
any other. 

CURVES — HOW THROWN. 

Hold a ball out in your hand; the farthest point 
of the ball from you is called the guiding point. 
When you throw, if that point goes up fast, the ball 
will curve up, called an up shoot; or it may be 
thrown in such a way that it will be an up curve (not 
up shoot). If the point goes down fast, the ball will 
curve down. If the point goes to the left fast, the 
ball will curve to the left, an out curve. There are 
the variations between the points called out drop, out 
raise, in drop, straight raise and in raise. 

STRAIGHT RAISE. 

To throw a straight raise shoot (not curve), take 
the regular grip on the ball as before stated. Throw 
over-hand and as you let the ball go, have the back 
of your hand horizontal. Let the ball roll under the 
first and second fingers, pull back and twist the hand 
up to make the guiding point twist up faster. This 
curve will take time to learn. The point will twist 
upwards, not a little to the right. If you can 
make it twist the right way, even if it does not shoot, 
you can be encouraged, for it will soon come to you. 
Practice throwing the up shoot at some mark as high 

(8) 



as a man's head. A good way is to have some per- 
son hold his glove directly behind the plate, about 4 
feet 6 inches high, with his little finger pointing over 
your head at an angle of 45 degrees, his thumb 
pointing perpendicular, and holding the glove so you 
can just see a little of the palm. He should also 
hold his other hand still at his side. This makes the 
best kind of a mark. He must hold his glove still 
until after you have let go the ball. After you have 
mastered the up shoot, then you can try the in shoot. 
(Not in curve). 

IN SHOOT. 

Grasp the ball the same way and when you let 
loose your first finger will be directly over the second. 
Make a backward pull and twist to the right. This 
will make the guiding point twist fast to the right, 
making the desired in shoot. Practice this in shoot, 
as well as all other shoots and curves, until you are 
able to throw twelve strikes out of fifteen throws — 
not only strikes, but they must be at a certain height. 

IN STRAIGHT DROP. 

You ought now to be in condition to try the in 
straight drop (not curve) . Before you try this, learn 
to throw straight balls directly under-handed with 
accuracy. To throw the in straight drop, grasp the 
ball the same way, but throw straight under-handed, 
(almost straight under-handed will not do). When 
you let loose of the ball the back of your hand will 
be horizontal. Let the ball roll out on the inside of 
the first and second fingers, pull back and twist the 
guiding point down. This will give the desired shoot. 

STRAIGHT DROP CURVE. 

This curves the same way as the in straight drop, 
only it is a curve and not a shoot. Grasp the ball 
the same way, throw over handed and when you let 
loose of the ball have the back of your hand perpen- 

(9) 



dicular. Eoll the ball over the side of the first 
finger, near the end for a quick -curve, and as far 
from the end as possible for a slow curve. In this 
straight drop curve, the guiding point turns directly 
downward. 

STRAIGHT OUT CURVE. 

Hold the ball in the regular grasp. Take the 
regular pitcher's swing, only instead of the over 
hand, take the long horizontal swing. Twist the wrist 
so that when you get the ball in a line with the plate 
ready to roll around the middle of the first linger, the 
back of the hand will be nearly down and the first 
two fingers will be nearly perpendicular, leaning a 
trifle to the right. This would naturally make an 
out curve with a little raise, but gravitation pulls it 
down a trifle so it will be a straight out curve, not 
shoot. Any curve will curve more by turning well 
around and taking the regular pitcher's swing, than 
if you only take a short swing. 

OUT RAISE CURVE. 

Throw it like the straight out, only throw more 
under handed and twist the guiding point up more. 

STRAIGHT RAISE CURVE. 

This is a straight raise that is thrown by using 
the out curve method. Grasp the ball the same as 
for all other curves. Throw under handed. You 
should master the in drop shoot before trying the 
straight raise curve. When you let loose the back 
of your hand will be flat towards your forward knee, 
the back of your first and second fingers will be 
towards the ground. Twist the guiding point up 
very fast or the ball will not raise. The earth's 
gravitation has a tendency to pull it down. You 
must be able to throw directly under handed or you 
cannot throw this straight raise curve, not shoot. 
Most pitchers cannot throw it. After you have prac- 

(10) 



ticed for one mouth, you should be able to mix up 
the curves (always mix up the curves in practicing 
for control and always practice for control) and put 
15 out of 18 throws over the plate. You can then 
consider yourself on the road to success and not until 
then. 

A NEW CURVE. 

This new curve should be mentioned now. But 
for your own sake do not try to throw it until you 
have mastered all the other curves and shoots. This 
new curve at first curves out with only a little drop, 
then it takes a quick drop. A young pitcher once 
threw a stratght raise curve. The batter struck it 
shoulder high about 2 inches from the end of his bat. 
The ball went directly over the pitcher's head. As 
it came nearer he saw it was an out curve, but when 
it was nearly upon him, to his great surprise, it sud- 
denly took a quick drop. For the hext week that 
qucik drop was on his mind day and night. It even 
haunted him in his dreams. He tried every day to 
reason it out. One day he experimented with an 
apple with a string running through its centre. He 
would turn the apple and hold the string and study 
how the ball had to turn to throw the different kinds 
of curves and shoots. Once he held the string with 
his right hand up, and his left hand down, while the 
apple was turning fast. He swung his right hand 
down and his left hand up, and the apple kept turn- 
ing. But it had been turning to the right, now it 
was turning to the left. Heat once concluded that 
the man who had batted the drop curve had turned 
the axis of the ball part way around, just like 
he, himself, had turned the apple around on its axis, 
and as the ball, which the man struck had been turn- 
ing out, by some way the bat had caused the sudden 
drop curve to occur. Then for weeks he tried to 
throw an out curve in such a way that as it was going 
the axis would change ends, or nearly change ends. 

(«) 



This led him to try all kinds of twists of his fingers, 
wrist, arm and shoulder. In time he threw an out 
curve under handed, but just as the ball was leaving 
his hand he would with all his might tiy to turn his 
hand to throw a drop curve. The underhand throw 
had been changed as he released the ball to a side 
overhand throw. This, if thrown right, will curve 
out as you first start it, but if you have been skillful 
in the effort to change it to a drop just in the nick of 
time, you will be pleased to see that it quite suddenly 
changes from an out drop to a straight quick drop 
curve, not shoot. Any good pitcher can throw an 
underhand out curve, or straight drop curve. It is 
easy for you to see the advantage of being able to 
throw all curves and shoots, underhand as well as 
overhand. Even if you do fail when you practice 
this new curve, it will be a benefit because you will 
be able to throw a much better drop curve than you 
could before. An Indian club swinger, after he has 
drilled for a long time on difficult movements, finds, 
when he goes back to the simple circles, he can do 
them much easier and better than before he practiced 
the more advanced work. 

HOW TO USE CURVES, OR BRAINY PITCHING. 

If you have good outfield and poor infield play- 
ers, keep the jump balls high, and the batters will be 
more apt to bat flies to the outfielders. If you have 
poor outfielders and good infield players, keep the 
in drops low, and the batters will be more apt to bat 
grounders. Always have some particular spot or 
place to try to throw to. You may decide to throw 
an inshoot close to the batter's neck, or a drop curve 
that will nearly hit the plate, or an out drop that 
looks as if it would strike the batter in the neck, but 
it curves down and out until it passes over the plate 
a good strike. It is best to keep mixing up the 
curves. Never throw a common straight ball. It is 
the worse thing you can do. A straight ball that is 

(12) 




Position for a long, hard drive. Bad form. 
Hands too far from the body. Otherwise, cor- 
rect position for a long, hard drive. 




LONG SWING. 

Position to pitch when no men are on bases. 
The ball is held well in front and the body 
leans well forward. This gives a free, long 
swing, which is a great rest from the short arm 
throw which is necessary when men are on 
bases 



thrown waist high, a good strike, is a wild pitch. A 
concealed change of pace is necessary, but that does 
not necessitate or allow you to throw a straight ball. 
It is poor policy to ever throw an inshoot so that it 
looks as if it would be a ball, and then have it carve 
over the plate a good strike, because when a batter 
does strike at such a ball, he is almost sure to make a 
good safe hit. It is much better to throw an in shoot 
even with the batter's neck as if it would be a strike, 
then have it curve in close to his neck. It is proper 
to sometimes throw the in drop as if it would be a 
strike, as high as the batter's knee, then have it curve 
in near his ankle. It is not as successful as the neck 
inshoot. It is a very good plan to keep all curves 
and shoots high, but it is better to mix the curves up 
and throw them high, low, close or wide. A golden 
rule: u Keep the in raise close and high, and keep 
the out drop and straight drop low; also keep the in 
drop low and close, and above all, always keep the 
straight in raise high." 

PITCHERS TAKING RKST. 

Train very careful. Never throw over 15 min- 
utes without a few minutes rest, even if you do not 
feel tired. Train only enough each day to make you 
stronger on the following day, because if you throw 
too long without rest, it will weaken instead of mak- 
ing you stronger. If you should ever happen to 
overtrain, do not throw any on the following day. 
You would weaken your arm, even if you did not 
ruin it for life. A young pitcher, who was in good 
training, pitched a strong game on Saturday, then he 
pitched a much better and stronger game on Monday. 
(He pitched only the last five innings). He had 
fine control and twice as much speed as usual, but 
his elbow pained to bend it. He finished the game, 
his arm did not trouble him at all after the game, but 
he did not recover his speed for more than two 
months, just because he pitched hard before his arm 

(13) 



recovered from the first game. It may not hurt you 
the first time, or perhaps uot the second time you 
overtrain, but a pitcher that goes to the well once too 
often gets broken. It may not hurt yon as bad as it 
hurt hirn, but it may cripple you for life. Always 
throw slowly until you are warmed up. It is a good 
plau if you have not taken your short run, to throw 
with the other hand until you are warm. It is in 
warming up where the pitcher is in danger of hurt- 
ing his arm. After you are all warmed up, it is not 
always necessary to throw with all your might, ft 
is not the great things we do that make us strong and 
scientific, but it is the little things w^e do well. 

CAUTION AGAINST SELF PRAISE. 

When you play well do not tell about it. That 
is considered bragging by most people. Your friends 
Avill surely tell about your fast playing, and the least 
yon say about your own playing the better it will be 
for you. You can praise other players, but never 
praise yourself. Leave that for other people. 

CAUTION AGAINST PITCHERS DRINKING WHILE WARM. 

You know that it is natural for a pitcher when 
all heated up by the hot sun and the great exertion 
caused by pitching, to drink large quantities of water. 
Never while very warm swallow more than an ounce 
at a time. Never' drink ice water (oatmeal water is 
better) when warm, only rinse out the mouth. It 
you must drink, never swallow more than a mouth 
full between innings. A young man feeling extra 
well, started one beautiful warm summer day to ride 
his bicycle 15 miles home. He rode quite fast, as he 
felt fine, for about five miles, then he took a long 
drink of cool, pure spring water, and before he 
started on, five minutes later, he took another pleas- 
ant drink. He had only ridden a short distance be- 
fore he felt weary and was still thirsty. He hurried 
to a spring a half mile, and after taking a good, long 

(14) 



drink, he again started for home. He soon felt more 
weary, tired and very drowsy, and rested every half 
mile. He was now obliged to exert all his muscle to 
keep going on a smooth, level road. He now realized 
that it was the effect of his drinking water when 
warm. His skin was no longer covered with beads 
of prespiration as it had been. It was now dry and 
he felt more drowsy and chilly. He tried to get 
warmer by riding faster. It took him five hours to 
ride home that 15 miles. It was a long time of care- 
ful training before he fully recovered. Experience 
is a good but hard teacher. He will never forget that 
experience. Many games are lost because one team, 
and especially their pitcher, drink water while they 
are warm. Only allow a team to rinse their mouths. 

OVER-CONFIDENCE REVERSES. 

Even the very best pitchers are sure to have a 
day off. Just as a pitcher thinks he is dandy, then 
perhaps, some poor players, or even some boys, will 
bat him all over the field. When you lose a game, 
whether to blame or not, you will be blamed by ev- 
erybody, even your friends will think you cannot 
pitch as well as they thought. You will get discour- 
aged a great many times. If you want to succeed as 
a pitcher, or anything else, you must be patient and 
stick to it for years and years. Keep up practice the 
whole year. Never play ball on Sunday, because 
this is God's Holy Day. See all the good games you 
can and profit by their mistakes. 

TEXT BOOKS AS AN AID. 

Get all the books on base ball you can buy or 
borrow, no matter who the author is, because you 
may learn a valuable point from a poor author, or 
even from poor players, that may help you very 
much. Give all the information you can, then other 
players will be more apt to give you pointers. If 
you never help others you will never get much help. 

(15) 



CHAPTER II. 

CATCHER 
HOW TO CATCH THE BALL WITH THE GLOVE. 

A great catcher may make an indifferent pitcher 
fairly effective. The greatest pitcher that ever lived 
could not make a good catcher out of a poor one. 
The star catchers are used in every game possible, 
therefore, they have a better chance to study batters 
than a pitcher, because a pitcher could not stand to 
pitch a game or two every day. The catcher must 
have a strong arm and get his arm in front of the 
ball. He must not reach to either side of it unless 
absolutely necessary. He must lose no chance to 
compel base runners to hug their bases. The most 
important thing for the catcher to remember is not 
only to throw to bases with all his might, but he 
must lose no time in returning the ball to the desired 
point. When anyone throws to the base, unless 
close, he should throw with all his might, that he 
can put in a quick throw. A foxy catcher can often 
catch a man leading off first base if as soon as he 
gets the ball he either makes a quick, hard throw to 
first, or slips the ball quietly under his arm, and 
as the man leading off may be only a foot from 
the base, turns his head away, then makes a quick, 
hard throw. The first baseman must not move to 
catch the ball until it is close, then he should snatch 
it and touch the man all at one movement. One 
catcher caught a great many fairly good amateur 
players napping at first base, because they would be 
so close to the base that they thought of no clauger. 
It cannot be repeated too often that the catcher must 
lose no time to throw quick and hard to bases. He 
must like his position or he cannot make it a success. 
Above all, he must be cool in any and all excitement. 
He must try to keep the pitcher from seeing the 
crowd and hearing the tumult, because the pitcher 
must be cheered up to keep his composure. The 

06) 



catcher must never insist upon the pitcher throwing 
a straight ball. The catcher should, give the signal 
that he thinks should be thrown, but if the pitcher 
wants to throw something else, the pitcher should 
rule, because if the pitcher does only what the catcher 
says, he would have no chance to use his own head 
work, and if he is batted all over the field the pitcher 
is blamed, when the catcher is really to blame. A 
good many pitchers lose not only games, but they 
lose their own positions in this way. But if the 
pitcher rules and he throws what he thinks best, and 
he is batted all over the field, he is the only one to 
blame, and he is the only one blamed. This is a 
very important point, because this is where the 
pitcher can use his head work. A pitcher can some- 
times tell better where to throw the ball by the bat- 
ter's expression, by seeing him face to face, than the 
catcher can by only seeing his back. The catcher 
has the most dangerous position on the team. He 
should use every precaution to make it less danger- 
ous. Always see that your spikes are clean and that 
you have a good glove and breast protector, also wear 
an elastic suspensory. Work in harmony with your 
pitcher, because you may worry and make him pitch 
poor, or he may throw a contrary curve, which might 
cripple you. You know that most foul tips go over 
the bat and not under it, therefore, always take the 
precaution to hold the glove, when the ball is over a 
foot high, above the right hand. Never hold (this is 
for the catcher only) the right hand above the glove 
as many do, without thinking that nearly all fouls 
pass over the bat and not under. It may seem awk- 
ward to hold the glove correctly at first. It will soon 
come natural and you can catch better, besides you 
will save many a broken finger. 

HOW TO CATCH A RUNNER BY THE COMBINATION PLAY. 

When your opponents have a man on first and 
third, the following is a good play. Pitcher will watch 

(17) 



the man on first base, then he will throw a straight 
hard ball over the catcher's right shoulder, where 
the batter cannot reach it. The centre fielder backs 
up the second base. The catcher makes a quick low 
throw to sesond base. The second baseman comes in 
between the pitcher and second base, the shortstop 
.covers second base. If the man on third makes a 
dash for home, the second baseman catches the ball, 
above his head, and because he is half way to the 
X>itcher, he has plenty of time to throw the man out 
at home. If the man on third does not mahe a dash 
for home, the second baseman steps to one side and 
lets the ball pass on to the shortstop, who has plenty 
of time to catch the man at second base. In this play 
the pitcher must be sure that the batter cannot hit 
the ball, for nine times out of ten it would be a safe 
hit, because your infield players are all out of their 
positions. If the other team ever tries to play this 
combination on you when you have a man on first 
and third, have your man try to steal second just as 
if there were no runner on third base. He should 
have a good lead, then dash for second and slide if 
necessary. The man on third should make a bluff to 
steal home and yet be able, if the catcher should 
throw quick and hard to third base, to get back to 
third base safely. As the man starts to steal second 
base, have the batter, if possible, make a hit through 
the infield, because your opponent's infield are out of 
their natural positions. 

CHAPTER III. 

BATTING. 
KIND OF BAT. 

To bat well you must practice constantly. Get 
a good light bat with a large handle. The large 
handle gives a better hold, and you can handle a 
light bat better than a heavy one. It is the ability 
to bat the ball where you try and not the heavy 

(18) 



slugging that wins the game. A pitcher once struck 
a man out a couple of times in practice, and the 
batter became so enraged that he struck the bat over 
a rock. It split the bat its whole length in three 
pieces. The centre piece of about an inch in 
diameter remained to the handle. With this 
he stepped up to the plate and said, "Let them 
come." The pitcher did let them come and tried his 
best to strike him out. To the crowd's great surprise 
he struck every one. Then the pitcher decided to 
always use a light bat that is springy and light 
enough so that when you hit the ball the bat will 
spring its whole length. Do not get it too light. It 
should be 34 inches long. Paint it black, because 
each game is played with a new white ball, and if the 
bat is white you cannot tell if you should raise or 
lower it a little to make it meet the ball fairly. 

A young man once bought a new white bat. He 
missed a good many nice strikes with it, that came 
over the plate without much speed and without curv- 
ing. That night he lay awake until nearly daylight 
trying to account for missing the ball so often with 
the white bat. He also tried to account for not being 
able to tell whether he had struck under or over the 
ball. It was broad daylight when he suddenly awoke 
from dreaming of batting with the new white bat. 
Eecalling that he had always batted the best with the 
Spaulding black end bats, made him think of the 
baseball being white and the Spaulding black end 
bats being partly darkened by the black end and also 
by Spaulding's trade mark, making a contrast be- 
tween the white ball and the partly darkened bat. 
He darkened the bat with a lead pencil and to his 
great satisfaction he did not miss the ball once in 
half an hour. Then he missed it intentionally and 
could tell each time if he had struck over or under 
the ball. After reading about this black bat, you 
will say that when you bat you do not watch the bat, 
but you do watch it, although unconsciously. Use 

(19) 



a black bat and by careful training you can cultivate 
the eye to steer the bat by keeping your eye on it 
until it meets the ball fairly. Sometimes you can hit 
the ball fairly by raising or lowering your bat as you 
see it is necessary when the ball is almost to you. A 
young man tried a black bat before a fine, speedy 
pitcher. The pitcher fooled him on the first one 
which came over the plate about shoulder high, 
like a cannon ball, without his striking at it. The 
next one was a ball. Then the pitcher threw another 
strike like the first one. The young man struck at it 
with all his might and tried to bat a liner over the 
second baseman's head, but as it was only his second 
strike he did not take the precaution to watch his bat 
as he should have done. He missed the ball and 
could not tell whether he had struck under or over it. 
He was now in a bad hole, having two strikes and 
only one ball. The next one was the same thing, but 
this time he watched his bat with extreme care and 
again tried to bat a liner over the second baseman's 
head. As the ball and bat came near each other he 
saw that the bat would certainly pass about two 
inches under the ball. He raised the bat so hard and 
quickly that he could feel it strain the muscles through 
his whole body. The bat met the ball fairly and it 
went over the second baseman's head, a very swift 
grounder to centre field, and as the fielder fumbled 
it the men on first and third bases scored and the 
batter reached third base safely. All because he 
watched his black bat. This is very important to 
have your bat black. This same young man has tried 
it for seven years and has not been struck out during 
the whole seven years of quite hard baseball playing. 

HOW TO STRIKE THK BALL. 

Have a person, a small boy will do, throw a ball 
for you to bat an hour or two every day. Do not miss 
a day. He should stand only about 40 feet from the 
plate. The reason for standing closer than the pitch- 

(20) 




Position for a bunt or place hit over the 
infield. Good form for a man who cannot hit 
hard, or who is not trying for a long, hard 
drive. 




SHORT SWING. 

Position to pitch when men are on bases. 
The ball is held well behind the shoulder and 
the body leans well back. Holding the ball 
and shoulder so far back saves the time of 
drawing them back before you pitch. And 
time saved when men are on bases is very im- 
portant. 



er's distance is that it makes you quicker in judging 
a ball and you also get used to a pitcher's standing 
close. It would be dangerous for a man who had 
never had any batting practice to face the swift de- 
livery of even an amateur pitcher. Try it if you 
have never batted on the opposite side and faced a 
hwift pitcher and you will soon be convinced of the 
great danger you will be in. If you have practiced^ 
on both sides you will feel at ease on either side. A 
man tried batting on the wrong side. The first ball 
that the pitcher threw came directly at him. He did 
not know which way to dodge, and while finding 
out, the ball struck his ribs over the heart and nearly 
killed him. If practice makes you better able to tell 
where the ball is coming it certainly will make you 
better able and quicker to judge if you practice 
batting with a pitcher a little closer than pitcher's 
distance. It would be wrong for reasons given be- 
fore for a regular pitcher to practice pitching so close. 
After you practice batting at this distance, then when 
you do get into a regular game the pitcher will seem 
to be far away and you will have much more time to 
judge the ball than you have had during your prac- 
tice. You will bat much better than if you had 
practiced pitcher's distance. Stand one foot from the 
plate and from one foot to eighteen inches behind the 
plate. The reason for standing behind the plate is 
that it makes you a little farther from the pitcher, in 
regular grame, and that gives you a better chance to 
hit the ball, because it has been proven that putting 
the pitcher back a few feet helps the batter very 
much. It has been said batting makes the game 
interesting to the spectators and without batting there 
would be no game at all. It w^s in obediance to the 
public demand as voiced by the press throughout the 
country, about ten years ago, that it was resolved to 
curtail the power of the pitcher by increasing the dis- 
tance from the home plate to the box. It gave the 
batsman just that much more time to gauge the ball, 

(21) 



and the batting powers of teams improved very much 
with the change. Another reason for standing be- 
hind the plate as far as you are allowed is that by 
having the plate in front of you it gives you a better 
chance to judge what part of the plate the ball is 
coming over, if it is coming over at all. The reason 
for standing a foot from the plate is to allow an in- 
shoot to pass between you and the plate and 
be called a ball. If you were standing close to the 
plate and a high inshoot were thrown close to you 
and you struck at it, you would miss it, or it would 
strike the bat close to your hands and you would most 
likely get put out. If you did not strike, a strike would 
be called. In practice, when the boy throws good 
strikes try to meet them fairly. Try to bat the ball 
to some particular spot. When he draws back 
his arm, raise your foot nearest the pitcher and 
place it ahead a few inches, count one as 
you place it ahead, then place your rear 
shoulder back and call that two, start your bat which 
is already just balanced on your shoulder and call 
that three. Then you are ready to strike the ball if 
it is a good one. Remember these counts come in the 
same breath. Then do not pull the bat back further 
just before you strike. The best modern batters 
merely strike from where the bat is already balanced 
on the shoulder without first drawing it back to get 
a long swing. Never sidestep from fear of being hit. 
Lajoie, who is the best batter that ever lived, once 
said that successful batsmen are not afraid of being 
hit by the ball, but steps up fairly to the plate. 
Willie Keeler, the next best batter, once said: "Keep 
your eye clear and hit them where they ain't; that's 
all." Ever to be temperate as these words suggest 
will keep your eyes clear like Willie's. In a regular 
game when you step up to bat, stop and think where 
the widest opening is, then try to bat the ball where 
you have determined and like Willie, where no one 
can get it in time to put you out. But of course the 

(22) 



true science of batting is to forward base runners 
around the bases, and send in runs regardless of sac- 
rificing your own record. The best way to practice 
batting is in a regular game. Another good plan, 
especially if yon are a left handed batter, is to stand 
as close to the pitcher as you are allowed, then try to 
hit the ball just before it curves and by your being 
ahead of the plate you are so much nearer to first 
base, and every inch counts, very much. This stand- 
ing ahead of the plate is said to be right by some 
great players, but for reasons here given it is better 
to stand one foot from and one foot or eighteen inches 
behind the plate. Batting is like everything else, 
you must keep in form by practicing. Even if your 
grandfather was a good batter you cannot rest from 
batting even if you have been a good barter. Prac- 
tice is necessary if you are to bat well. The famous 
McGraw once said: "I think I will be the best play- 
er in the world, because I will work." He has train- 
ed and trained, and look at him now. He is one of 
the star players, just because he had persistence. 
There was a football team which, every time they 
won a game, stopped practicing and the next game 
they wonld be sure to lose. Then they would train 
hard again and win the next game. They had just 
won a game and as usual rested on their laurels until 
they played against a very strong team, and of course 
they lost, the score being about fifty-four to four. 
The defeated team returned home and declared that 
they would get together ami train hard and defeat 
the other team. In the next contest, which took 
place in about ten days, some college men who heard 
of their trouble gave them a lecture as only college 
men can give. They did train down hard, and they 
learned some new tactics. Perhaps the other team 
rested on their laurels. When the game was played 
the team that had just defeated them was badly 
beaten. What is more, they defeated them worse 
than they had been defeated. This was all because 

(23) 



they trained and did not rest on their former ability. 
As soon as a man say that he is at the top of the 
ladder, and crows, he always begins to slide down 
the other side. Practice is necessary in order to bat 
well. "Excellence in any department of life," says 
the venerable Mr. Gladstone, "is gained only by pa- 
tient and persistent effort." Never lose your temper. 
It is fatal to good batting, or anything else, except 
getting you into trouble. 

BATTING TO RATTLE THE PITCHER. 

Under ordinary circumstances it is always best 
to have each man do his very best to get his base on 
balls. Give a man more credit for getting his base 
on balls than for a base hit, because it counts nearly 
as much and shows that he is willing to take a greatei 
risk of striking out by taking perhaps two strikes 
with the fond hope of helping his team to win the 
game by getting his base on balls. Besides, it is 
hard on the pitcher. It may cause him to lose his 
head, and if he does for five minutes, the game is 
yours. Have your coach and all your friends yell 
and make a racket just as the pitcher draws his hand 
back, because all .pitchers take their aim just as the 
ball starts forward and not before. 

TEAM PRACTICE. 

Have your players take turns batting, fifteen 
minutes each, instead of having a sub bat grounders. 
Have your pitchers change off every twenty or thirty 
minutes. Throw all strikes shoulder high. Each 
batter should bat first to the first baseman, then to 
the shortstop, then bunt to the pitcher. Then bat to 
the second baseman, then to first baseman, then be- 
gin at third again. This kind of batting gives the 
batter confidence. It helps to prevent the shy foot 
and trains them to place the ball, which is very im- 
portant in a regular game. Every time the ball is 
hit the batter starts for first base for about five 

(24) 



steps, then comes back and bats again. During this 
kind of batting practice, as well as all other batting 
practice, all the infielders should back up each other 
and talk the game up. Some fast teams favor this 
kind of batting practice very much. 

BENEFIT OF GOOD BATTING. 

It is just as necessary for your team to make 
scores by extra good batting as it is to keep the other 
team from batting the ball all over the field and mak- 
ing scores against you. Many fast teams have five 
sheets of heavy cloth put up and have a batter in 
front of each. One boy will chase the fouls for the 
whole five. The batters can have the throwers closer 
than pitcher distance, but regular pitchers should 
never practice closer than pitcher's distance for rea- 
sons given before. The batters will change around 
every five hits and two bunts. Never leave out the 
bunts. This kind of drill will give them much bat- 
ting practice in one hour. Then put them through a 
little fast team work, infield and outfield work. Then 
have a real hard, fast practice game, all doing their 
very best. Even the pitchers must do their very 
best for three innings only. After six innings, which 
has warmed up your four best pitchers, besides warm- 
ing up the whole team, take a bath and change the 
clothes. There must be no delay or some will catch 
a cold. 

BUNTING WHAT IT IS. 

To bunt a ball is to have it strike your bat in 
such a way that the ball will only go a few feet in 
front of the home plate, or roll slowly down towards 
first or third base. 

HOW TO HOLD THE BAT AND BUNT. 

There is nothiug that will rattle the pitcher and 
infield players so quickly and effectively as a few well 
timed placed bunts. No team can hope to win the 

(25) 



pennant unless they can bunt well. The question 
arises how to stop and drop a few feet in front of the 
plate, a ball that comes with nearly the deadly speed 
of a cannon ball, besides curving in any direction. 
You have often noticed that you can stop a swift ball 
with your hand and it will fall close to you. You 
could easily bunt with your hand if it did not hurt, 
by merely holding it out, and when the ball is close 
pull your hand back with the ball, The ball does 
not rebound, it merely stops. Use your bat the 
same way. Place the bat on the right shoulder, with 
your right haud as far from the left as convenient, 
and when the pitcher draws his hand back, step 
ahead with the left foot directly towards the pitcher, 
straighten the right arm, slide the hand down to 
within six inches of the end of the bat, and nearly 
straighten the left arm. Now the bat should be a 
little above the hip and parallel with an imaginary 
line between first and third bases, and when the ball 
gets close, if it is a good one, guide the bat and catch 
it on your bat as you would on your hand by draw- 
ing it back an inch with the ball. Practice this on a 
floor if possible, and in a week you should be able to 
stop it so that the ball will not roll more than one or 
two feet, and then when you get out doors on the 
diamond you will never have any more trouble to 
bunt as well as the very best bunter. 

WHEN TO BUNT DURING THE GAME. 

As a rule it is best to bunt with a man on first 
and no one out, but if you are much behind it is al- 
ways better to hit and run, and even then it is best 
to try and place the ball at the same time that the 
man tries to steal second base. But with a man on 
first and second, with no one out, it is always, with 
no exception, best to bunt. Then if the worse comes 
you have a man left on third and second. Because a 
man who has practiced this way, by drawing the bat 
back with the ball in a room, can always make a suc- 

(26) 



cessful sacrifice bunt and perhaps a hit. The old 
question arises, should you try the squeeze play with 
a man on third or three men on bases and one or no 
men out? It sometimes works successfully but more 
times it fails, for if the man on third comes nearly 
home and the batter tries to bunt and should happen 
to miss it, not an unusual thing, you would lose all 
chance of that score. It would also be wrong to try 
for a single, because you would be apt to bat into a 
double play. A better way is to bunt with a man on 
third or three men on bases, unless two men are out. 
The runner on third takes a big lead each time with 
the pitcher's arm and yet be able to get back safely 
if the catcher should throw quick and hard to third 
base. (All men on bases should lead off the same 
way.) The batter bunts the first good strike. The 
runner on third by taking such a big lead will often 
get safe at home, and while they are trying to get 
him, the batter will get to first. But if the batter is 
a poor bunter, but a good heavy hitter, let him try 
for a long line drive, which is apt to go over the 
fielders' heads, because they play in close with three 
men on bases. But even if it is caught, the man on 
third can still score. But if the batter fails, let the 
next man try it; if he fails, the next man tries for a 
single, which would bring in two runs. 

CHAPTER V. 

BASE RUNNERS. 
WHEN TO START. 

There is more science in running bases than most 
players think. As soon as you hit the ball start to 
run. It is like the 100 yard dash man. If you get 
a bad start you cannot make good time. A great 
many times a man will stop to see if it is a foul, or if 
some one will catch it, and he loses time if it hap- 
pens to be a fair ball, and time is everything in run- 
ning bases. This is important, to start as soon as 

(27) 



you hit the ball, or have three strikes, even if you 
feel that you cannot make your base safely. Even if 
you bat a nice grounder to the pitcher and are sure, 
(you never can be sure), that you have no chance to 
reach first base safely, make a quick dash and run 
with all your might. Sometimes it looks as if a man 
would surely get out, when by a good sharp run, 
aided perhaps by a wild throw, or sometimes by the 
first baseman muffing it, or it might be thrown to 
another base, or even if the ball is batted easy to a 
man he might make a fumble and you make your 
base by fast running. It is very hard to teach a man 
so that he will always run as soon as the ball is hit. 
Some good players neglect this necessary precaution. 
As a rule you should not slide going to first base, but 
an inexperienced umpire will call you safe quicker if 
you do. If you have made a hit past the infielders, 
always make a bluff to run to second base, and after 
you have made a good turn and are twenty or thirty 
feet towards second base, then if the fielder throws 
the ball anywhere except to second base, run to sec- 
ond base. When you make such a bluff towards 
second base, some inexperienced fielders might throw 
the ball to first base, short stop or third base, then 
you can easily make second. But if the fielder throws 
to second, go back to first. Be sure the pitcher has 
the ball before you again leave the base. Always 
know where the ball is. Even if you are not playing 
watch the ball all the time, or it may hit you on the 
head. If you are not interested enough to watch the 
ball, keep away from the game. An agent who was 
not much interested in base ball went to see a game. 
He stood around and evidently did not watch the 
game or the ball, for suddenly it came his way and 
he went to eternity not knowing what had struck 
him. After the pitcher has the ball, take a good 
lead, experience will tell you how far and yet get 
back safely. Get about seven feet back from the line 
and take twelve feet or more lead towards second 

(28) 




GLOVE AS A MARK. 



This makes a good mark for a shoulder 
high (never lower) straight raise jump ball. 
For a real mark, the glove must not be moved 
until the pitcher has let go of the ball, because 
rt is the last moment that the pitcher takes aim 
and the slightest movement of the glove at the 
last moment entirely spoils the mark . It would 
be better not to have a mark than to have it 
move. 




Position to catch an outfield fly over the 
right shoulder, knees slightly bent, ready to 
line the ball to second base. 



base, then, if the pitcher throws to first base you 
rush and slide back, not directly towards the base, 
but to the left, the length of your arm, and if you 
have time shoot out your right arm and grasp the 
base firmly. But if you reach the base a little too 
late, let the baseman swing around for you, and as 
soon as his hand with the ball gets past you, then 
shoot out your right arm and grasp the base firmly, 
and then be very sure that the pitcher has the ball 
before you take any lead. When you do make up 
your mind to steal a base, have a good lead, then as 
soon as the pitcher starts to draw back his arm, you 
must not wait for his arm to get back, make a dash 
for second base and slide head first, unless the sec- 
ond baseman blocks your path in a brutal manner, 
then slide spikes first. Do not slide directly towards 
the base, but to the right the length of your arm. 
You must strike the ground in such a way that you 
slide several feet without getting hurt. Grasp the 
base with your left hand and let your body swing 
around. Never be a selfish player. Always do wh'at 
you can that is honorable to make your team win, 
even if you must make a sacrifice. 

CHAPTER VI. 

FIELDING. 
HOW TO CATCH A FLY. 

Many first-class fielders make their start as soon, 
or a little before, the ball is hit. The man who waits 
for the ball to get well started before he moves, will 
never make a good base ball player. The first im- 
portant point to catch a fly is, as soon as the batter 
strikes at the ball, make a quick move the way you 
think the ball would go if he did hit it. You can 
usually tell by the position of the ball and bat when 
they get near each other which Avay the ball would 
be most likely to go. When you dash for a fly keep 
your arms down and get under it as soon as possible. 

(29) 



Then if you have time enough, get in the following 
position to catch the fly: Have your left foot one 
step forward, your knees slightly bent, and your 
weight on the balls of your feet. Stand so the ball 
would just pass over your right shoulder, and then 
when you catch the ball you are in the best position 
to throw it. 

LONG FLYS. 

Have one man bat fiys to • each outfielder. 
Have them number off and stand together in 
close enough so you can bat flys far enough over their 
heads so that they cannot quite get them. Have 
number one hold up his glove so you will know that 
he is to take the fly. Have him come in fast on a 
grounder, because he can depend on the other out- 
fielders to back him up. They should always back 
up each other. It will not only teach them to make 
a quick start, but it will give them plenty of experi- 
ence of the right kind and develop their lung ca- 
pacity. When a fly goes over a fielder's head, he 
should turn quickly and dash in the direction of the 
fly. It is the quick start that makes the fast out- 
fielder. When the fielder dashes for a fly over his 
head, the nearest fielder should run with him and 
say "back, back," until the very last instant, and 
then call out "there you are." He turns instantly 
before he takes another step and catches the ball, 
which is about to take him in the head. If he has 
been running to one side, the other fielder would have 
called "to the right, to the right," or "to the left, to 
the left," as the case would have required. With 
plenty of this kind of practice it is wonderful what 
long runs and fine catches can be made. Bat to each 
one until he has one fairly good chance to catch a fly, 
then go to the next man. Never let one catch the fly 
that was intended for the other. Do not always bat 
the same to each man. A good way is to bat a liner, 
and if it is a grounder, bat it over, theu whether he 

(30) 



catches it or not, give him a long fly so that he must 
make a quick, long run to catch it. If possible, 
catch long flys the same as short flys, in the proper 
position as stated in the beginning of Chapter VI. 
Then as he catches the long fly he should bend back 
and raise up the left knee and keep his right elbow 
nearly at his side. Then start a forward circle with 
the right hand and get as near as possible the right 
hold of the ball as mentioned in Chapter I, under 
"How to Hold the Ball/' only do not pay any atten- 
tion to the way the seams are. When you have 
made half of the circle and the hand gets down so 
that the arm is straight, complete the circle by a full 
arm swing, reaching up as high as possible and throw 
over-handed, the same as for the straight raise jump 
ball spoken of in Chapter I. This will mate the 
ball carry up because it has a tendency to raise and 
it will keep it from curving sideways. When the 
arm starts up in a full arm circle, spring all you can 
from the right foot and place it about four feet ahead 
of the left foot. This will take time to learn to place 
it far enough ahead, and when you learn it, you will 
have more speed at your command. From the out- 
field, as from any other place in the game, always 
aim at the player's belt when you throw for him to 
catch. In a long throw always sacrifice a little time 
to get the proper swing and speed, but in a short 
throw always sacrifice swing and speed for quickness. 

BACKING UP THE INFIELD. 

The third baseman plays ten feet from the bag 
and three feet back of the line. He runs in fast on 
all slow grounders, takes everything that comes his 
way, cuts in ahead of the shortstop on everything 
that he can get both hands on. Shortstop plays 30 
feet from the second base and fifteen feet back of the 
line. He backs up third base; he is back far enough 
to give the third baseman plenty of room to cut in 
ahead of him on all grounders. If the third baseman 

(30 



misses, then there is still another chance for the 
shortstop, because a hot grounder travels so fast that 
he still has time to throw the man out. There is a 
chance that the third baseman will knock the ball 
out of line and spoil it for the shortstop, but if the 
shortstop played up on the line and the third base- 
man stayed at third, suppose the shortstop spoils the 
grounder for himself, then there is no possible chance 
for anyone to back him up in time to throw the runner 
out at first. The shortstop playing so far back of the 
line gives him a better chance to catch line drives 
and pop flies over the infield and by the second base- 
man playing 30 feet from the second base and fifteen 
feet back of the line, the same as the shortstop/ and 
the first baseman playing ten feet from first base and 
fifteen fgfet back of the line, and the outfielders play- 
ing in quite close, makes it next to impossible to make 
a hit between the infield and the outfield. A grounder 
over second base, which the pitcher cannot stop, 
is tried for three feet in front of second base by the 
second baseman , then it is tried for three feet back 
of the bag by the shortstop. Center fielder comes in 
fast and the right and left fielders back him up. The 
more men to back up in all plays the more sure you 
are to win. The pitcher takes all slow grounders or 
bunts that he can handle; he makes one more man 
after the ball, besides he can throw to first without 
straightening up. A grounder between pitcher and 
first base: the pitcher tries it, if he gets it he throws 
it to the second baseman who covers first. If the 
pitcher misses*it he covers first and the first baseman 
tries to get the ball. If he misses it, the second base- 
man tries it and if he misses it there is still time for 
the right fielder, who has come in fast, to throw the 
man out at first, The shortstop covers second. This 
makes a combination and gives you four chances to 
get your man, and every chance might win. 

If each man leaves the play for someone else, 
oftentimes it is not taken by anyone. The pitcher 

(32) 



watches first base himself; he also has a signal with 
the catcher for first base. With a man on second, the 
pitchef watches the shortstop without turning much. 
The shortstop, who is back of his man, makes two or 
three fake moves, then suddenly makes a dash to 
second and because he has the first jump he can beat 
the runner to second. The pitcher can often catch 
his man by getting used to the shortstop. He also 
has a signal with the catcher for second base, because 
sometimes the second baseman can make a couple or 
three fake moves, then dash in and by the .catcher's 
signal the pitcher will often catch the man. With a 
man on third, when the pitcher catches the ball from 
the catcher, he gives the third baseman a signal. The 
pitcher can look at second or first, but he does not 
look at third again. The third baseman keeps well 
away from third base, but when the pitcher starts to 
draw back to pitch and the runner starts in towards 
home, the third baseman makes a dash to third and 
catches the ball on the run. With plenty of practice 
a pitcher can often catch a man on third, which hurts 
the other side very much. Practice this every day, 
you cannot have too much practice throwing to bases. 
Do not throw to bases often in a regular game, but 
when you do, make it count. When you catch a 
man between bases, if possible chase him back toward 
the base he came from, dash after him as fast as pos- 
sible. Make a continual fake throw so he will not 
know just when the ball is thrown. As soon as the 
other man gets the ball he sprints after the runner as 
fast as he can. Never hesitate to back up just be- 
cause someone else is backing up, because every extra 
man who backs up a play makes it just that much 
safer. Back up whenever and wherever you get a 
possible chance. For instance, if you are playing, 
no matter where, even in the right field, and if the 
catcher should be backed up on the particular play, 
and no one else backs him up then it is your place to 
do it. Let the coach talk to the player, after the game, 

LOFC, (33) 



who should have backed up the play and see that 
he backs up uext time. The people and your man- 
ager will appreciate your backing up that way and 
you will feel better over it. The pitcher should 
usually back up the first base/ catcher third base and 
wherever he is most needed. For instance, if a long 
throw from over first base or right field is to be made to 
third base the pitcher, shortstop and left fielder should 
all back up third base. Each get about fifteen feet 
behind the other. With three meu backing up third 
base there is not much danger of a man scoring on 
the throw, even if it should be wild. The 
man who is to make the throw, knowing that third 
base is backed up so well he will not hesitate to make 
a quick throw with all his speed aud is more apt to 
make a successful throw. If the other pitcher is wild 
have each man take two strikes. This makes the 
pitcher work harder and will often weaken him. 
When you get a man on base, each man should know 
what the other men will try to do. If the man on 
first w r ants to run on the first or second ball he 
can give the signal. If the second ball, then 
the runner takes an extra big lead off the base. 
He wall not get caught leaning the wrong way 
because he has his mind made up to get back to the 
base at the least sign of the pitcher and the batter 
watches who starts to cover second base. This often 
causes the pitcher to waste one ball in the hope of 
catching the man at second, but now as the {fitcher 
is in a hole he will most likely put the next one over. 
Thi^ time the runner has not quite so much lead, but 
he is leaning towards second base and at the least 
movement of the pitcher he dashes for second base. 
The batter bunts or bats a hot grounder toward where 
the player stood who started to cover second base. 
On a bunt, when they try to throw the runner out at 
first base, the runner from first should always try, 
and can most always, get to third. If the runner on 
first don't give any signal he goes down fast part way 

(34) 



every time with the pitcher's arm aud the batter hits 
the iirst good one. With a man on 1st and 2d with one 
man out, if yon try for a single yon are apt to bat into 
a double play. Try the double steal. The runner 
on second gives the signal to steal on the first or 
second ball, as he thinks best. When the play is 
tried the batter strikes, but misses the ball, and gets 
in the way with the bat and his body to hinder the 
throw to third as much as possible without in the 
least appearing to do so. Even with two out this 
play is often successfully carried out. 

CHAPTER VII. 

TRAINING SYSTEM. 
DEVELOPING MUSCLE. 

Indian club swinging is much more help to the 
base ball player than most players think. Indian 
clubs should be used at night and in the morning. 
It expands the chest and keeps the joints of the arms 
and shoulders well oiled. After using the clubs you 
can almost feel the shoulder muscles grow in strength 
and agility, and they help to produce a restful slum- 
ber. Eest from eight to nine hours. Take a long 
morning walk, but do not take a bath after it. If 
you are perspiring freely, merely take a rub down 
with a coarse dry towel, and then, of course, put on 
dry clothes. After dinner, sit or lie down for thirty 
minutes. It is wonderful how much thirty minutes 
rest just after dinner will rest the body and build up 
the system. Then take a walk until nearly the hour 
when your games usually begin, then put on your 
suit carefully. Always wear a good suspensory and 
see that it is on right. Have your spikes clean. The 
men who look after these little things are the men 
who succeed in base ball or in anything else. Take a 
slow run of half a mile before you begin your base 
ball practice. This should not give you a hard sweat 
but should only warm you up a little. Now you are 

(35) 



iii conditio a to begin real base ball practice. Never 
stop exercising from this minute until after yon have 
taken your bath and ended with a rub down. Prac- 
tice fast and put your whole heart in the work for 
two hours. By this time you should be very tired, 
but the instant that the practice is over, even if you 
do not feel like it, take another slow half mile run 
and end with a short sprint. You should now be 
perspiring freely. Hasten at once to take your bath, 
because it would be very dangerous to wait a minute 
for any cause and run the risk of getting chilled. 

WHEN AND HOW TO TAKE A BATH. 

You are now, as just stated, very warm and in 
just the condition to take your shower bath. At first 
regulate it a little hotter than hike warm, pass back- 
ward and forward under it, rubbing yourself all over 
with your hands as fast as possible, then regulate the 
bath two degrees colder, then two degrees still colder, 
etc., until it feels quite chilly, not real cold. This 
should not take you over three minutes from when 
you first step under the water until you are using the 
towel. When 3 7 ou leave the water take a quick rub 
down with the hands for about a minute. This will 
remove most of the water. Then take a large rough 
towel and give the whole body a good rub down. Be 
careful that the hair on your head, under your arms, 
etc., is particularly dry. End by rubbing and pat- 
ting the muscles with the hands. Dress as soon as 
possible. This whole process, from when you first 
entered the bath room, should not have taken 
over fifteen minutes. After the bath do not get in a 
perspiration again the same day. 

PROPER FOOD WHILE TRAINING — WHAT TO EAT. 

Eat beef, mutton, eggs, beef tea, plenty of milk, 
beans, peas, prunes, fruit of all kinds, take plenty of 
sound sleep, and if you are slender, drink cocoa and 
use more milk. Never worry. It is worry that wears 

(36) 



out and kills people and not work. Worrying will 
always reduce your weight, besides it makes you ner- 
vous. Use plenty of sugar, eat bread aud chew it 
well. Never drink too much milk or eat too much of 
anything j list before a game. It \£ill hurt the stomach, 
make you drowsy and will lie on the stomach like so 
much lead. Food does not digest well when you are 
taking violent exercise. Two dogs born, raised to- 
gether and fed the same until six mouths old. One day 
they were fed the same kind of food and one was put 
in a small dark room and the other was tied behind a 
buggy which he had to follow for two hours. Then 
both dogs were instantly killed and their stomachs 
removed. The stomach of the one left iii the room 
was found to be empty aud in good condition. The 
stomach of the other dog, which had run behind the 
buggy, was found to be very full and very badly con- 
gested. For the last meal beford a hard game, one 
glass of milk aud one slice of toast is enough for any 
man, especially the pitcher, 

WHAT NOT TO EAT. 

Altogether the most harmful food is pork in any 
form, because it is so hard to digest. Use no veal, 
tea, coffee or alcohol in any form, and never drink 
ice water, because it will not only hurt your stomach 
but it may stiffen you just at the time in a game when 
you most need to be active. 

FAST PRACTICING. 

When you play you should play fast. It is not 
how long a man practices, but how fast he can play 
with a cool and fast thinking brain to govern his 
playing. It does not pay to practice playing without 
snap in the game. If you always practice a snappy 
game with snappy players it will make you a much 
faster and better player than if you only practiced 
slowly without ginger and with slow players. This 
is very important, not only in base ball, but it is also 

(37) 



just as important in football or basketball. All 
players must always have ginger in these games or 
they will not make them a success. 




READY TO BUNT. 

This is after you have moved from the position for a bunt. 
When the white ball gets within an inch of your blaek bat, 
pull the bat back quickly about an inch. The ball will strike 
the bat as you are pulling it back, which makes it impossible 
for the ball to bound back more than a foot or two, or at 
most not over ten feet. You can bunt it harder if you wish by 
not pulling the bat away so fast from the ball. 



(38) 



■BuMmS 11 ™ 8 * 

019 953 888 3 



